GDS offers £100k each in hunt for deputy director digital double act

The Government Digital Service is recruiting for two deputy director-level roles that each come with an estimated salary of £100,000.

The organisation is seeking to appoint a deputy director of service design and standards. The successful candidate will “be responsible for publication of all guidance produced by GDS [and the wider government] digital function”. As part of this, they will help oversee the work to revamp the government’s Digital Service Standard, and contribute to the development of GDS’s Service Manual.

GDS is also recruiting for a deputy director of standards and assurance, who will be responsible for “leading the team that provides the central government challenge and approval function for nearly all digital and technology projects”. The role will involve a keen focus on the operational success – or otherwise – of central government IT projects. The successful applicant will be expected to provide “appropriate scrutiny and rigour in assessment of project delivery methods, timescales, and expenditure”.

The standards and assurance chief will manage a team of 25 people and a budget of £1m, as well as serving as “an active member of the GDS and government technology senior management team”.

The two roles are being recruited for concurrently, with a deadline for applications of 12pm on Thursday 23 November. The following day a shortlist for each post will be drawn up, and in the weeks that follow candidates will need to go through three further stages: individual leadership assessments; fireside chats; and final interviews, which will take place in London in the two-week period beginning on 11 December.